Having more than one stroller...

[alijp5]

Janet it's Ali from PP. Wouldn't ya know I lurk here too. Anyway FINISH already :)

lol

[strollerqueen]

Alright already! So here's Part Two of Adventures in Strollerland. When last we left off, I was happily using my double Mountain Buggy. I would take it to the beach, all the way down to the water. The canopy was excellent in the sun, and the full recline formed a cozy little bassinette for the baby. When I was finished, I'd go to the playground, or mall, or even restaraunt. Everything was peachy keen, until the Octoberfest.

It was very crowded there, and even though it's the narrowest SBS out there, it's STILL a double wide. Well, I was crashing into everything--food booths, carnival games, the backs of people's legs. The last straw came when I side-swiped the Monsignor of the Parish--the priest who put it all together. "Um, excuse me Father, sorry, did I hurt you?" Very embarrassing.

SO that's when I decided I needed a narrower double stroller, that folded, when I was going to a crowded event. But not one of those bulky huge plastic monstrosities that are ugly and hard to push and take up your whole trunk. My search led me to a very cool store--Heritagebaby, where they were clearancing out Emmaljunga Huskys with toddler seats. AN EMMALJUNGA! Possibly the most beautiful and well-built stroller on the planet. Well, that or Teutonia. ANyway, I loved the toddler seat add-on. Common in Europe, but unusual here. My DD loved it, too! Though the sun really bothered her, so I HAD to get the matching parasol.

Now I've got this beautiful compact pram for a great deal. Fit nicely in the trunk, folded very flat. But--it IS a fixed-wheel pram, so kind of hard to maneuver through stores, etc. Also, I live at the top of a hill. Going down was easy. Coming back up with 75 pounds of stroller and children, was like Sisyphus rolling his rock. (Though in fairness, it's no harder to push than, say, a Graco Duoglider. I had just gotten spoiled by the Gozo and the Mountain Buggy.)But the last straw was what happened at my DD's pre-school. Here I've got this darling showcase pram with the toddler seat and parasol that Miranda loved to ride in, until her friends saw her. "Miranda is a baby, Miranda is a baby!" They taunted her. Boy, 3 is a cruel age. So after that, she was too embarrassed to ride in it.

A couple of days later, I was at the Farmer's Market when I saw this woman with a very cool set-up. A Maclaren w/ a buggy board attached to the back. Well, it was bad enough I kept staring at it. Then I chased her down and asked what was it, where did she get it, and could I please push it? The poor woman acted as if I was going to snatch her baby! SHe muttered something about being from London and a lot of people had it, then grabbed her toddler's hand and fled.

So now the search was on for a buggy board, or some kind of stroller with a board on the back. I figured that seemed more "Big girl", and cool. I could always say it was a skateboard. Anyway, the Pliko was out. A lot of kids don't like standing on the back of it, because the steps are small, and they have to lean back. (Though some don't mind.) My research showed there was just ONE other stroller w/ the rear footboard, the AMico SHerpa. And that had been discontinued.

I began searching Ebay every day. Rarely they turn up, and when one finally did, the bidding skyrocketed. Got sniped in the last few seconds on the next one. FInally, I won one! I was thrilled until I got it. That's when I learned just how subjective the terms "barely used", and "in good condition" can be. Also, the seller had yanked the wheels off w/ a pliers when she shipped it, and one just kept popping off. SHe said she would take it back, but then I would be out $60 shipping. So I decided to try and fix it. My DD really DID like standing on the back, and after all, it had a really cool bell you could ring. Then my neighbor invited us to a museum. It's a looong walk from where you park to the compaunds. "But I won't have room for one of your big double strollers", she admonished. Great! I thought. The AMico will get it's inagural run.

Sorry, now, I have to run and cook dinner. I promise I'll finish the stroller saga in part 3, unless you've had enough! x(

[hipmaman]

You crack me up!!! Please continue...

I have to say, if I were you going thru all these strollers, my dh might already divorce me. Yours must be a saint. I only had 8 strollers in residence for about 4 weeks and he almost had a tizzy fit. I have to admit with only 4 strollers now, I feel almost 'naked' without my wheels.

Please finish your story.

[Nooknookmom]

Janet! If you do not write for a living - you SHOULD. This story awesome, I can't wait for chapter 3 (don't forget the teutonia!).

:o)

Trina

[strollerqueen]

EEEK! I wrote an Epic Part 3, and right when I was posting it, my connection failed! Any ideas of how to get it back? If not, I'll rewrite it as soon as I get a chance.

[pamela mom of 3]

MS. Strollerqeen,

Your too funny! although i think you have WAY more to write seems to me your missing a few ;)

[nywifey]

This is better than the soaps!!!! I'm so hooked. What happens next? The Fields have got to include some of this in their next edition. This is just to funny and good to keep to ourselves. This needs to be printed! Plus, moms need to know that "it's okay" to have several strollers. I guess it's like Alcholics Annoyomus but for strollers. "Hello, my name is Strollerqueen, and I'm a Stroller Alcholic!" Love it, just love it!!! We could have monthly meetings at Starbucks!!! This is a riot!!!

[hipmaman]

Ms. Pamela,

I would like to hear your story. I know you have just as colourful stroller history as Janet. Come on, fess up! lol.

[strollerqueen]

Adventures in Strollerland—Part 3

When last we left off, the Amico was about to take it’s inagural run at the museum. I did omit some of the story, as some astute observers pointed out. It was in the interest of brevity, which is an oxymoron for an Irish woman. So I digress. During the brief window in which Miranda decided she didn’t want to ride, I acquired, in short shrift, an Inglesina Cross, and a Teutonia PiXXel. What happened was, I mentioned to my neighbor that I was thinking, just thinking, of selling my Pliko. And before I could finish thinking, she whipped out the dough, and it was a done deal. And off she strolled into the sunset, with my beloved Pliko. Boo hoo.

Suffering a case of seller’s remorse, and cash in hand, (a dangerous combination) and scouring Ebay for the Amico, I ran across the Inglesina. I was feeling absolutely strollerless! Well, singles-wise, anyway. I loved the primary colors, and the fact that the seat snapped in to face either forward or away from you, and could be used as a carrycot. This, I reasoned, could be a replacement for the Pliko. And since it has the single handlebar, it should push much better than the Pliko.

Well, so I thought, until I pushed the (drumroll please) TEUTONIA PIXXEL!!! THIS, has to be the EASIEST pushing stroller on the planet! Not just one-handed, but one-fingered! Not to mention that it’s construction is similar to that of a Mercedes Benz. More little car than stroller. My anti-stroller neighbor saw me pushing it, and literally began to shake. “OH MY G***, she says, “OH MY G**, she gasps. “Please, please can I push it, she begs, hands trembling. This—from a woman who makes her one and three year old sons WALK, for goodness sakes. “But you hate strollers!” I tell her. ‘This is not a stroller”, she says. “This, is art.”

By now, DH is so mad about me having too many strollers, that I figure, at this point, what difference is another going to make? Talk about perverse logic. And not, suddenly, Miranda decides to ride again. Why should her baby brother be riding like a prince in a chariot, while, she, the PRINCESS, has to walk? Since there’s no seat for her, she simply creates one. By sitting on the footrest, climbing on top of him, hanging off the back, anywhere she can. Of course, this would never do, so I began searching for a buggy board or kiddy board to attach to the back. I figured they would be “big girl enough” to do the trick, but small enough that I wouldn’t hear any more complaints at the pre-school of how the big double strollers are getting in the way.

The American distributor is Infantino. Numerous calls to them went unanswered. Finally, I bought a buggy board and a kiddy board from a German Ebayer. And I waited. And waited. And waited. Different e-mails gave different dates of when she sent them. When I told my mailman, Bruce, how long ago I ordered them, and when I could expect them, his answer “Hans and Fritz are skating around on them in Bavaria.” Then he began yodeling. Didn’t have much luck on the German end, either. They blamed 9/11. Now what the terrorists have to do with my buggy boards is beyond me.

OK, baby is crying, and I’m afraid this is gonna’ disappear again. In Part 4, find out if the boards ever arrive, or if Hans, Fritz, and the terrorists are playing with them. And did the Amico ever make it to the museum? And what happens next ?


:'(

[hollymamma]

I am SOOOOO glad I asked this question!!! I am lovin' this story!!!

~Holly